Historical Narrative
“You can’t separate peace from freedom because no one can be at peace unless he has his freedom.” -Malcolm X
Historical Narrative
February 12, 1909- Founding of the NAACP: The National Association Advancement of Colored People was founded by W.E.B. Du Boise, Ida B. Wells, and many other prominent leaders. This group was initially made as a response to the violence against African Americans, specifically the act of lynching. While gaining popularity among colored people, the NAACP's goals and focuses advanced further than the advocacy of anti-violence. The organization later started advocating for African American Civil Rights and the advancement of African Americans politically, socially and economically. The NAACP eventually translated a lot of their philosophies into the Black Power Movement. The NAACP is significant because this organization was one of the first to advocate for the philosophies of the Civil Rights Movement and eventually the Black Power Movement that rose in the 1960's and gave other African Americans the power to start their own organizations for the same cause.
April 1960 - Founding of SNCC: The Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee was a group lead by Stokely Carmichael and organized by Ella Baker. This group was designed to give African American youth a voice in the Civil Rights movement. The SNCC's tactics included spreading equality awareness and participating in civil disobedience, non violent protest, boycotts, etc. The organization followed the philosophy of Dr. Martin Luther King. As these groups gained more power and influence, the FBI was determined to take out all of the radical black organizations, the SNCC being one of them. The FBI spent much time investigating and sabotaging the SNCC and, whenever possible, the FBI provoked violence between black organizations. The government's many efforts to lessen the influence of these organizations on society did suppress black power as the government repeatedly targeted organizations that were fighting for Civil Rights. This helped to show the constant battle between African American communities/organizations and the government. Many deaths of black activists during the Black Power Movement were suspicious and were thought to be caused by the FBI, either directly or indirectly.
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July 2nd, 1964- Civil Rights Act passed: This act ended segregation from all public places and banned employment discrimination on the grounds of race, sexuality, religion, or sex. This act was first proposed by John F. Kennedy, but later signed by Lyndon B. Johnson. The act was significant because it legally gave more rights to African Americans. Unfortunately, the Civil Rights Act did not seem to make much difference and the fight continued.
February 21, 1965- Malcolm X assassinated: Malcolm X was a leader in the Black Power Movement whose beliefs went against the mainstream values of the Civil Rights Movement. Malcolm was shot while giving a speech by two members of the Nation of Islam, Malcolm X’s former group. After Malcolm's death, the Nation of Islam and other Civil Rights groups attempted to stop the the political influence Malcolm had on black society. Black youth popularized Malcolm's ideas of blacks having the right to defend themselves against white aggression and police brutality ‘by any means necessary’. These popular views among the black community laid the foundation for the Black Power Movement.
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August 11th, 1965- Watts Riots: Watts riots took place in Watts, California. What started out to be an altercation between a young Black man who was pulled over for suspicion of drunk driving then lead to a full blown riot. This riot lasted for 6 days and the end result was 34 deaths, over 1,000 people injured and over $40 million in property damages to the city. The riot was significant because the 6-day riot showed how much tension there was between law enforcement and the black community. African Americans felt targeted solely because of their race and felt as if police had taken advantage of their authority which resulted in an increase in riots throughout America.
1966- Phrase “Black Power” is born: Stokely Carmichael, one of the leading voices in both the Civil Rights Movement and the Black Power Movement, used this term as a way to make black culture more accepted and embraced within the black community. The phrase was also used because of the frustration black communities had with social, economic and political segregation. This frustration also contributed to the rise of the Black Power Movement.
October 15th, 1966- Black Panther Party Founded: Huey Newton and Bobby Seale founded the Black Panther Party as a way for African Americans to use self defense against police brutality. The Black Panther Party used the law as a form of defense as well whenever a police officer was doing unnecessary harm to an African American. The Black Panther Party also carried firearms for protection and followed a ¨ten point program¨ that listed their objectives as an organization. By the late 1960s, the Black Panthers were the most influential revolutionary nationalist organization in America. What made the panthers so successful was their call for an immediate need for change and their many efforts to take action. The Black Panthers mostly attracted African Americans, but also attracted some extreme white leftist groups and formed ties with these groups as well. Soon the Black Panther Party branched out across the country, having bases in big cities like Chicago.
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1967- Black Panther Party begins a breakfast program: The Black Panther Party involved themselves in community programs like feeding the hungry and providing food, clothing and medical care to those less fortunate. The party founded the Free Breakfast for Children Program which took place in church halls. Party members, who were mostly poor, working class African Americans, worked very hard to get food donations from businessmen, prepare all three meals, serve the children and sing songs with them. Giving back to the community showed that the Black Panther Party was not just an all-violent organization, but one that also cared for people's needs. These selfless acts also showed people how much could be achieved when organized.
July 23rd-27th, 1967- Detroit Riots: The Riot took place for four days in downtown Detroit, Michigan. The cause of the riot was thought to be about police brutality and the unequal and segregated housing and schools. This was considered one of the most violent outbreaks of the 20th century. 33 blacks and 10 whites were killed, over 1,000 people injured, and the riot created about 32 million dollars of property damage. This was important because it showed how deeply rooted the racial tension was between blacks, whites and law enforcement.
November 7th, 1967- Carl Stokes elected first black mayor in Cleveland, Ohio: Carols stokes was elected mayor of one of America's biggest cities. This feat was significant because stokes was one of the first black mayors and gave blacks more opportunities like having different roles in government. Stoke's role as mayor challenged the relationship African Americans had with the white community through a call to power. Blacks in Cleveland were living a poor quality of life and Stoke's campaign called for improvement. This campaign gave Stokes an increasing number of black supporters. The campaign helped encourage blacks to exercise their right to vote. The white support was heading in the direction of Seth Taft, but in the end Stokes received the majority of the votes and became the first black mayor. His victory influenced other areas and more black politicians began to emerge.
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1968- Presidential election of 1968: The election of 1968 was between George Wallace, Hubert Humphrey, and Richard Nixon. None of the candidates received a significant amount of support from the black community. In the end, Humphrey received the most African American support, but Nixon ended up winning the election. Towards the end of the Black Power Movement, Nixon was not as proactive and oppressive. Nixon's vice president Spiro T. Agnew was a racist and Nixon and Agnew worked together with the FBI to shut down the Black Panthers and other militant groups.
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1968- Many influential black artists, poets, writers, and musicians emerged become influential: The Black Power Movement inspired a huge amount of new literatures, poetry, art, and music which all reinforced the black movement. Many fine art geniuses such as Dudley Randall and Margaret Walker were role models for young emerging artists. The two most popular poets at the time were LeRoi Jones and Nikki Giovanni. The rise of powerful fine arts helped to address and emphasize the need to end police brutality and poverty in the black community in a new, creative way.
April 14, 1968- MLK is assassinated: Dr.Martin Luther King was Murdered outside his Hotel room in Memphis, Tennessee. This caused a national upset within the black community and The Civil Rights Movement. The black community lost an important and influential voice that spoke for their community. The loss of King felt like a loss of freedom. King had brought about so much change. After his death, the fight for change was set back and became more difficult because King was the only leader that got the black community close to achieving a biracial coalition, meaning a demand for peace, Civil Rights and a basic change in the black community.
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1968-69: Carmichael leaves Black Panther Party: Carmichael was very influential during the Black Power Movement. His joining with the Black Panther party delivered a more revolutionary message to the black public. Carmichael was passionate about having only black support. Eventually the ties he had with white leftists lead Carmichael to leave the group. This was significant to the Black Power Movement because it showed a clash between two powerful groups and left followers of the Black Panther Party to choose a side. The movement was intended to unite African Americans, and the split between Carmichael and the Black Panther Party seemed to break them apart.